clothes dryer on fire | aluminum dryer vent

clothes dryer on fire | aluminum dryer vent

This means that ​dryer ducts should also be as straight as possible and cannot be longer than 25 feet. Any 90-degree turns in the duct reduce this 25-foot number by 5 feet, since these turns restrict airflow.

By the time you remove the brush you should have a pile of lint on your floor. Repeat this process till you stop pulling lint from either the vent or piping. If you are using the LintEater to remove the lint buildup, you can insert it from this end, or from the outside end (see that link for instructions on how).

Detect dangerous lint build up before it causes damage, potential injury or death. Order DrySafer now and take the first step in protecting your home and family against a potentially deadly dryer fire.

Blow it out. Once all the tubing is put back together the way you found it (or better), turn the dryer on for 10-15 seconds. This will blow air out the tubing, which should flush all the lint that you just loosened out the other end of the pipe.

Remove the dryer lint filter. In the opening – whether on the top of the dryer or inside the door, use the brush to gently loosen the built-up lint. Don’t force the brush if you meet resistance but be sure to clean every surface as much as possible.

Put the dryer’s vent back into place. Now that you’ve cleaned both the vent and piping, take the vent and slide it back into place, and tighten the screws on the clamp on each end to reaffix it firmly.

Caveat–if the dryer is an older gas version, you might want to see if there’s any way you can get to the lint vent without moving the dryer. Older connections are fragile, and jostling them can lead to gas leaks. Regardless, everything you’re doing with a gas dryer, if you smell gas, immediately stop, and call the public utility to come fix it.

Fortunately, removing dangerous lint is simple. The first area to clean is the dryer lint trap after every load by removing the lint from the screen and wiping the edges. If the screen seems clogged, it may be from the dryer sheets you have been using. Submerge the lint screen in a sink of hot water and scrub with a bristle brush to remove all the built-up fabric softener.

In addition, always use care when the rod is inserted into the vent. If you come up against a blockage or you can’t easily move the rod further down the vent, stop in order to avoid damaging the venting. In some cases, there is also a dryer heat diverter device.

If possible, clothing that has been soiled by volatile chemicals like gasoline, cleaning agents or even large amounts of cooking oil should not be dried in a clothes dryer. If they must be dried in the machine, wash the clothing more than once to minimize the risk of fire. Use the lowest heat setting and shortest drying cycle possible. Use a cycle with a cool-down period at the end of the cycle to prevent ignition.

7 Dryer Maintenance Tips You Need to Know — Try these tips and hacks to help extend the life of your dryer, increase safety and make laundry day easier. Clean the exhaust vent every two years. Check the vent cap outside. Don’t overload the dryer.

One last step is to clean the exterior vent. Again remove as much lint as possible using your hand or a shop vacuum. You may need a screwdriver or another tool to hold the vent flap open for easier cleaning. If you live in a high humidity area or use your dryer more than twice weekly, you may need to clean this vent several times per year.

Thanks to all of your hard work, your dryer should now be running more efficiently. Depending on how often you use your dryer, it’s probably a good idea to perform this service every six months to a year. If you are not the DIY type, you can hire out cleaning your dryer vent with an energy efficiency company.

A clothes dryer should not vent inside your home or attic. The exhaust contains too much humid air and can cause problems with mold and mildew which are hazardous to your health. A ventless dryer should be used if outside venting is not possible.

The Lint Trap and Screen – Depending on the design of your dryer the lint trap will either be on the top of the dryer or located just inside the door. Be sure to locate the dryer’s lint trap, which houses the lint screen, before continuing.

Over time lint, (aka “formerly known as your clothes”), will build up in these areas and prevent your dryer from moving air efficiently, causing your dryer to work harder to dry clothes and use more energy in the process. (Of course, if you can hang your clothes to dry, you’ll not have to go through this process nearly as much, and you’ll save a bunch of money. But I digress!)

Now use the vacuum to remove any lint from the lint trap. Swap out the attachment on the vacuum for one with a longer neck. Once you’ve done that, turn on the vacuum and put the attachment as far into the lint trap as possible. Now work the attachment around the inside of the trap. The goal here is to remove any and as much of the residual lint as possible. Occasionally, you might want to pull the attachment out (since you won’t be able to see down the trap), and make sure the tip of the vacuum attachment is not clogged, which it often is. If so, just pull out the lint that’s clogging the attachment, put your hand against the end to check that it’s sucking clearly, and reinsert it into the trap.

A clothes dryer doesn’t look scary or dangerous. Unfortunately, it is the cause of over 20,000 house fires every year totaling millions of dollars in damage. Regular cleaning and maintenance can protect your family and your investment in your home.

Detect dangerous lint build up before it causes damage, potential injury or death. Order DrySafer now and take the first step in protecting your home and family against a potentially deadly dryer fire.

If you still have a white or silver vinyl duct hose, it should be replaced immediately. It is flammable and if ignited by the dryer it will burn and cause a house fire. All national and local building codes now require metal ducting for clothes dryers. Ideally, you should use rigid aluminum tubing pieces between the dryer and the outside vent. This type of tubing does the best job of resisting the collection of lint in the duct and cannot be easily crushed. Flexible aluminum ducting is available, however, it is more prone to collecting lint inside.

The maximum length of a clothes dryer exhaust duct should not exceed 25 feet from the dryer location to the wall or roof termination. The maximum length of the duct shall be reduced 2.5 feet for each 45-degree bend, and 5 feet for each 90-degree bend. The maximum length of the exhaust duct does not include the transition duct.

Clean both the vent and piping in the wall with your vent brush. Simply take the brush and work it as far into either the wall’s piping as possible. Once it’s as far in as it can be, gently pull the brush out of either the vent or piping. Be sure to turn the brush either clockwise or counter-clockwise while doing so. This will help to knock as much of the lint free as possible.

Follow these easy steps to clean out the lint from your dryer and get it working efficiently. As always, when you’re working on any large appliance, make sure to unplug it first, or shut the power off to it from the breaker box.

Finding ways to reduce home energy costs is a priority for every homeowner today. The Drysafer will help save you money as well as reduce the risk of dryer fire by keeping your dryer duct clean and free of lint. This product acts as a secondary lint trap for your electric clothes dryer. It installs easily onto your dryer transition duct and collects additional lint that is not captured by the standard dryer lint trap. This helps to eliminate unwanted and excess lint within the duct and reduces the risk of a dryer fire occurring. It also allows the air to pass through the duct more easily and without obstruction, saving energy by allowing your dryer to run more smoothly and efficiently. The clear door gives an unobstructed view of the lint screen which should be removed and cleaned after each load of laundry.

Remove the dryers vent from the wall. Typically, there is a metal ring clamp that attaches the tubing to the dryer and to the wall, and that you can loosen/tighten with a screwdriver (typically flat head).

Using a Drysafer clothes dryer lint trap alarm makes this process easier. DrySafer Dryer Lint Alarm is a unique device that detects insufficient airflow inside the dryer’s exhaust ducts and the dryer’s internal lint filter housing. If the airflow in the dryer becomes restricted because of excessive lint build up, birds nests or other debris, it can cause the dryer to overheat and possibly result in a fire.